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Thera 6.3: Maha-naga
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(212):Maha-naga Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter VI. Six Verses =212. Mahā-nāga= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Sāketa as the son of a brahmin(priest) named Madhu-Vaseṭṭha, he was given the name of Mahā-nāga.1 He saw the wonder caused by Thera Gavampati,2 while the Exalted One(Buddha) was staying in the Añjana Wood, and receiving faith, he entered the Monk’s order under the Thera, winning arahantship(enlightenment) through his advices. Now while he abode in the bliss of emancipation(nirvana), the Thera Mahā-nāga saw how the six bhikkhus(monks)3 habitually failed to show respect to their co-religionists, and he addressed them in verses which became his declaration of aññā(supreme attainment): ---- 387 Yassa 43 sabrahmacārīsu gāravo nūpalabbhati,|| Parihāyati saddhammā maccho appodake yathā.|| || 388 Yassa sabrahmacārīsu gāravo nūpalabbhati,|| Na virūhati saddhamme khette bījaɱva pūtikaɱ.|| || 389 Yassa sabrahmacārīsu gāravo nūpalabbhati,|| Arako hoti nibbānā, dhammarājassa sāsane.|| || 390 Yassa sabrahmacārīsu gāravo nūpalabbhati,|| Na vihāyati saddhammā maccho bavhodake yathā.|| || 391 Yassa sabrahmacārīsu gāravo nūpalabbhati,|| So virūhati saddhamme khette bījaɱva bhaddakaɱ.|| || 392 Yassa sabrahmacārīsu gāravo nūpalabbhati,|| Santike hoti nibbānaɱ dhammarājassa sāsane' ti.|| || ---- 387 Who towards his fellows in the Rule Shows no reverence nor respect, From the true Path(Dhamma) he wilts away, Like fish where water runns low. 388 Who towards his fellows in the Rule Shows no reverence nor respect, In the true Path(Dhamma) he did not thrive, Like rotten seed in furrow sown. 389 Who towards, etc. Far from Nibbana stands he Within the Path(Dhamma)-Lord's cult and school. 390 Who towards his fellows in the Rule Shows due reverence and respect, From the true Path(Dhamma) falls not away, Like fish where many waters be. 391 211 Who towards his fellows in the Rule Shows due reverence and respect, In the true Path(Dhamma) he thrivs well As seed benign in furrow sown. 392 Who towards his fellows in the Rule Shows due reverence and respect, He to Nibbana's very near, Within the Path(Dhamma)-Lord's cult and school.4 ---- 1 Nothing else is known of this Monk. His namesake 'of the Black Creeper Pavilion' is a much later personage (Jāt., iv. 490; vi. 30 text; JRAS, 1901, p. 893). The name = great wondrous-being or spirit, applied equally to a serpent, an elephant, a thera, and to a class of fairies. 2 See XXXVIII. 3 A notorious group of intriguers, whose doings severely tested the organization of the Sangha. See Ps. V.; Vinaya Texts, i. 218 n. 4 Who towards ... shows (not) is, literally rendered: For whom with respect to his co-religionists reverence does (not) exist, or is not found, or seen (cf. Kathāvatthu Commentary on n'upalabbhati, p. 8; Dialogues, ii. 166, 'is not found'). The occasion of these verses as described by Dhammapāla above, let alone the religious consequences invoked, justify my differing hare from Dr. Neumann's rendering. For the similes, cf. CCVII. Cult and school = sāsana. ---- =6.3 212 Commentary on the stanza of Maahānāgatthera= The stanza starting with Yassa Sabrahamacārīsu constitutes that of the venerable thera Mahānāga. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating good deeds, conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Glorius One Kakusamdha; on having attained the age of intelligence, he, one day, happened to have seen the Blessed One Kakusandha who, having plunged into the forest, was seated with the bliss of jhana at the foot of a certain tree, became pious-minded and offered Him pomegranate (dāḷima) fruit. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn as the son of a brahmin named Madhuvāsettha at Sāketa, when this Buddha arose. His name was Mahānāga. On having attained the age of intelligence, when the Blessed One was dwelling in the Collyrium grove (Añjanavana), at Sāketa, he happened to have seen the miracle of the thera Gavaṃpati, aptly gained pious faith, became a monk in the presence of but that thera, abided by the latter’s advice, and attained Arahantship. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna.-- “The great Hero Kakusandha, who had gone to the further shore of all truths (dhamma) secluded (vāpakaṭṭho) Himself from the crowd of monks (gaṇa) and went deep into the forest. Having collected pithy seeds (bījamiñja) I strung them (āvaṇiṇ) with a creeper; at that juncture, the Blessed One was meditating (jhāyate) inside a hill (pabbatantare). After having seen the divine of the divine (devadevaṃ), I offered the pithy seed (bījamiñja) to the Hero, the worthy recipient of dedicated donations with my piously pleased (vippasannena) mind. It was but in this aeon (kappa) that I then made my offering of the marrow (miñjaṃ); I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my making pithy-seed offering. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, the thera spoke six stanzas by was of advice to the group of six monks (chabbaggiye bhikkhu) whom he saw dwelling without paying any respect to their fellow leaders of holy life (sabrahmacārī), while he was dwelling with the bliss of emancipation. 387. “He, of whom respect is not duly gained among his fellow leaders of holy life (sabrahmacārīsu) dwindles (parihāyati) from good truth (saddhammā) similar to a fish in meagre water. 388. “He, whose respect does not exist toward those who are leading holy lives like him (sabrahmacārīsu) does not grow in the good truth (dhamma) resembling a rotton seed in the field. 389. “He whose respect does not exist toward his fellow-monks (sabrahmacārī) is far away from nibbāna in the dispensation of the spiritual sovereign (dhammarājā). 390. “He, to whom thera exists respect toward his fellow monks (sabrahmacārī) does not get diminished from the good truth (saddhamma) like a fish in abundant water. 391. “He, whose respect for his fellow- monks exists, grows in the good truth (saddhamma) similar to good seeds in a field. 392. “He whose respect for his fellow monks exists, is near to nibbāna in the dis- pensation of the spiritual sovereign. There, Sabrahmacārīsu means: they practise such holy (brahman) deed (dhamma) as moral precepts and so on among equals (samānaṃ); thus, fellow monks (sabrahmacārī); and co-religious people (sahadhammikā) who had reached (gatā) monkhood’s (sāmañña) moral precepts (sīla) and view (diṭṭhi); among them. Gāravo means: the condition of being a teacher (garubhāvo), the making of a teacher (garukaraṇaṇ) characterised (nimittaṃ) by such qualities as moral precepts (sīla) and so on. Nūpalabbhati means: does not exist, does not exist, does not occur does not stand near (upatitthati); thus, is the meaning. Nibbāna means from the extinguishment (nibbāpana) of (the fires) of depravity (kilesa), from the exhaustion of depravity (kilesakkhaya); thus, is the meaning. Dhammarājassa means: of the Master. Indeed, the Master pleases (rañjeti) and satisfies (toseti) the world together with the divine world according as they are worth (yathārahaṃ) with the mundane (lokiya) and super-mudane (lokuttara) truth (dhamma), thus dhammarāja (spiritual sovereign. Here also “Dhammarājassa sāsane (in the dispensation of the spiritual sovereign);” by this is named nibbāna, in the dispensation of but the spiritual sovereign; not anywhere else. There, whoever is devoid of respect towards his fellow monks, he, accordingly, is far away from nibbāna; likewise, he is far away from the dispensation of the spiritual sovereign also; thus, he shows. Bavhodake means; in much water. Santike noti nibbānaṃ nibbāna is but near him in his presence. The rest is but in the manner as has been said. These stanzas but became those that reveal the Arahantship (aññā) of the thera. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Mahānāga is complete. ----